A new set of eye problems because of your computer

October 22, 2007 at 2:40 PM CDT - Updated July 3 at 11:05 AM

Do you sit in front of a computer all day long? That may cause you to have pain in your shoulders and an overwhelming feeling of grogginess. If you have some of these symptoms, you may be suffering from Computer Vision Syndrome. Here's more on the symptoms and the easy ways to fix the problem.

Nichole Haynie sits in front of her computer for most of the day. "At least six hours a day," she says.

Because of that, she has a lot of pain. "Neck strain, shoulder pain, squinting a lot, sitting in an awkward position," says Nichole. And she's definitely not alone, now-a-days.

"Because of our computer use, we're seeing a set of new eye problems we haven't seen before," says Eye Clinic Optometrist Melvin Gehrig.

He says strain in the neck, headaches, dry eyes are all caused by what's now called Computer Vision Syndrome. "The way we sit, the distance we're working at, the angle of he computer to the eyes, just general body fatigue," says Dr. Gehrig.

But now, there's a lot of help available for people who have Computer Vision Syndrome. Dr. Gehrig says new office glasses are available for folks who continuously use a computer, and you don't need a prescription.

Also, Dr. Gehrig says you may need to lower your computer and get better lighting, among other things.

Now, Nichole has a new set of tools to help her battle her neck strain and more. It's a new way to keep her happy and comfortable at work.

Dr. Gehrig also says it's important to look away from your computer every 15 minutes or so, a good excuse to get up and walk around.